The root meaning of the word educate means to "lead out." If we chose to follow this meaning, it suggests that teachers have a purpose that relates to an action or a way of acting that is leading. It does not suggest that teachers have anything to do with various contents but the question then arises: leading what? to what?
Here, we offer a curriculum based on a simple developmental model, implemented through a simple teaching strategy. The approach is holistic. Learning is defined as an ecological activity, an active engagement between nature within and nature without. School of Natural Learning is a school without walls. We develop and implement curriculum in community settings or in outdoor classrooms. Documentation of work in natural and community settings can be found throughout this site. Research shows that when communities provide children with access to nature on a daily basis they protect children's health, enhance their ability to learn and build foundations for responsible social and environmental behavior. Research also shows that social competency accounts for 75% of the predictors for academic success and that arts programming builds social competencies.
Freedom is defined as a position in space or a state of being from which there is a maximum degree of choice. Developmental Workbook